Before writing up this recipe, I decided to do a little research, since when looking at recipes for what I knew to be “Shepherd’s Pie”, it contained minced lamb. Apparently, Shepherd’s Pie (as the name implies) is made from the animal the Shepherds tend, lamb, yet Cottage Pie, is typically made with ground beef or other meats. Traditionally Shepherd’s pie was topped with mash and Cottage Pie with sliced potatoes, resembling the roof of a cottage, yet nowadays they appear the same. Origin-wise, it’s understood that Shepherds Pie originate in Ireland, albeit enjoyed through all of Great Britain and that Cottage pie came from England. An article I found stated that Cottage Pie dates back to 1791, whereas Shepherd’s Pie became a thing nearly a century later in 1870. Apparently there’s some argument over whether it should even be termed a “pie” due to the absence of pastry, however, whatever you decide to call it, mashed potatoes or sliced, ground beef, lamb (although it is one of the few things I dislike), Impossible Ground “Beef”, or whatever you choose to fill it with, it is delicious and hearty and warm! I have always called it Shepherd’s Pie, even with Ground Beef, and Costco sells it that way (and is Costco ever wrong!?), thus my chosen name of Cottagey Shepherd’s Pie!
This year it was our celebratory St. Patrick’s Day meal and I had fun doing a side by side comparison of Ground Beef and Impossible Meat due to my eldest daughters newfound Vegetarianism and my other daughters beef and pork allergy! I had never cooked with Impossible Meat before and it was interesting to see how it performed and tasted compared to the ground beef. It browned up more and quicker, though it was incredibly hard to tell the difference in the pan! Had I not known, I would have thought that IT was the real ground beef. As far as taste and texture were concerned, the Impossible meat was actually slightly more tender and had a brighter, fresher flavor, whereas the true ground beef had a…surprise, surprise, richer, beefier flavor! The difference, however, was so slight that had I done a blind taste test, I don’t know if I would have been able to identify much of a difference!
My grandmother immigrated from Holland and one of the recipes we often make from her is Hutspot, or mashed Potatoes, Carrots and Onions. Another more Irish variation on this is Colcannon, or mashed Potatoes with Cabbage and Leeks. I think both options would be delicious as a topper for this pie! You could also play with the veggies inside as I did with my spring vegetable pot pie depending on what you have on hand, or go for a lighter pie with ground chicken, spring veggies and white wine instead of red! Regardless of what you choose, I hope you enjoy this version of Cottagey Shepherds Pie.
INGREDIENTS:
FILLING
• 1 pound of ground beef or Impossible ground beef
• Kosher Salt and pepper to taste
• 2-3 T olive oil, as needed
• 2 onions, diced
• 2 large carrots, quartered longways and diced
• 8 ounces of mushrooms chopped
• 1 T tomato paste
• 3 large garlic cloves, pressed or minced
• 2 T flour
• 2 c low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• ½ c dry red wine
• 1 T Worcestershire saucepan1 tsp mince fresh thyme or ½ tsp dried
• 1 c frozen peas
TOPPING
• 2 pounds russet or Yukon Gold potatoes (about 4 medium) peeled and cut into 2 inch cubes
• 4 T melted butter
• ¼ c whole milk or cream
• 2 large egg yolks
• ½ tsp minced thyme
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 c Sharp cheddar or Dubliner cheese grated on the small grate
1. For the filling: Heat a deep skillet or Dutch oven of medium high heat and add the ground meat. Season with approx. ¼ tsp salt and pepper and cook, breaking up large chunks until browned, If needed, add some olive oil before sautéing the veggies.
2. Add the onions, carrots and mushrooms, along with a generous grind of black pepper and sprinkle of kosher salt. Sautee until softened, about 5 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant, less than a minute. Add the tomato paste, mixing and scraping well and then stir in the flour, making sure to coat all of the ingredients well. Cook for 1 minute before adding in the wine, broth, and Worcestershire, Stir in well, scraping up any browned bits that have formed on the bottom of the pan, deglazing the pan. Turn the heat to low and allow to simmer until the meat is tender and gravy is thickened approx., 15 minutes or so. Add in the frozen peas and thyme and taste and adjust seasonings.
3. While the filling is simmers, preheat the oven to 400 degree and cover the potatoes with water and bring to a boil with a generous pinch of salt. Cook until fork tender, approx. 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes and add in your butter. Mash well with the butter before adding the milk or cream. Season with salt, pepper, and thyme to taste and stir in the egg yolks. The yolks will add to the richness and creaminess and also help the top of the pie to brown nicely in the oven.
4. Assemble : Pour the filling into a 9×13 baking dish and dollop the mashed potatoes on top. Gently spread them around to evenly cover the filling. Use a fork to create pretty designs and ridges or the back of the spoon or spatula to make swoopy patterns. Sprinkle a light layer of cheese on top and pop it in the oven until browned and bubbly approx. 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool for at least 5-10 minutes before diving in. It stays piping hot under those taters, so be careful! Enjoy!
